Developmental Disabilities

This study examines the effects of neurofeedback training on eight children with Down Syndrome. The study focuses on how the treatment improved attention, learning, balance, behavior, and speech development. The children were evaluated through QEEGs before and after their neurofeedback training, as well as through questionnaires and interviews with the children’s parents. During the study, patients did not take medications to ensure that changes were due to the neurofeedback treatment. After the study, questionnaires and interviews showed improvements from the baseline in memory, speech, concentration, balance, and behavior in the children. The post treatment QEEGs also showed improvements as the frequencies of some of the patients’ brainwaves were moving toward normalization. Delta and theta brain activity, which had amplitudes that were larger than normal prior to the treatment, decreased after the treatment. There was also a general increase in beta activity.

This case study examines the effects that neurofeedback has on improving the IQ scores of twin girls with mild developmental delay and some ADHD symptoms. Their IQs were tested before and after completing the entire EEG neurofeedback treatment, then they were retested three more times in the following 52 months to see if the results were maintained. The researchers found that there was a 22 and 23 point improvement in their IQ scores after the treatment, and that the improvement was sustained in the years after. Their mother provided anecdotal evidence about many other positive improvements in areas such as coordination and conversation. This study is significant because it suggests that improvements in IQ can be sustained long-term, but there needs to be further research done on the topic.

This study examines the effects of neurofeedback on the spelling and reading abilities of dyslexic children. 19 dyslexic children participated, half were given language tutoring, while the other half underwent 20 sessions of neurofeedback treatment as well as the tutoring. By testing the reading and spelling abilities of the children before and after, they found that there was no difference in improvement in reading. However, the ones who underwent neurofeedback sessions had a 16% improvement in spelling, while those who just had tutoring only improved 6%. This is significant because it does not appear that the improvement is because of the natural learning curve, due to the fact that the control group exhibited much less progress.

This study examines the long-term effects of neurofeedback. Previously, the researchers had found neurofeedback led to improvement in attention control, cognitive flexibility, and planning in 14 children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. They then conducted a follow up study a year later. The participants were put through the same tests as during the study. They found that all of the improvements had been sustained after the full year, and there was actually further improvement in auditory attention, planning ability, and a few other areas. This is significant because it suggests that the benefits of neurofeedback therapy are not short-term; they are present even after the treatment is stopped.